‘GOAT’ Dunks On The Competition At The Weekend Box Office

Sony’s GOAT was the clear winner at the box office over the weekend, taking the number one spot in an otherwise quiet frame. The Sony Pictures Animation release earned an estimated $17 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to about $58 million and its worldwide haul to roughly $102 million.

Directed by Tyree Dilihay, the animal basketball, well, roarball, comedy posted a solid debut two weeks ago with a $35 million domestic ($48 million worldwide) opening and has since distinguished itself as a rare original animated release that connected with families without relying on sequel branding. Its second weekend drop was modest for an original animated title, suggesting word of mouth is doing some of the heavy lifting, and this one could have good legs, at least until Pixar’s Hoppers hits theaters on March 6.

Meanwhile, Wuthering Heights found itself on the wrong end of the matchup, pulling in around $14.2 million for the weekend. While the gothic romance remains ahead globally with approximately $152 million worldwide, GOAT has yet to debut in several key markets.

From an industry standpoint, GOAT’s early performance is encouraging for theatrical animation. The film leans hard into basketball iconography and star power, with Stephen Curry attached, and that combination has helped it cut through a subdued release calendar. The result is a crowd-pleasing story that feels like a warm-up to, hopefully, more success for films that are willing to take risks.

Looking ahead, GOAT may have even more upside once it rolls out in more territories internationally. A basketball-driven, talking-animal animated feature featuring a globally recognizable NBA star has the potential to travel extremely well, particularly in China, where basketball fandom is massive and family-friendly animation remains a strong theatrical draw.

If GOAT connects in some of the large markets that have yet to debut the film, it could turn a modest domestic win into a much larger global statement, proving once again that well-made, original animation is a draw that can still score with audiences at the box office.